Works on Victoria’s North East Link tunnels from Watsonia to Bulleen are quickly progressing, with the on and off ramps at the Manningham interchange now being built.
Once complete, the new 6.5-kilometre road tunnels are expected to take 14,700 cars and trucks off Bulleen Road each day. Two massive tunnel boring machines are set to arrive from overseas late this year for the tunnelling works.
Victoria’s Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Jacinta Allan visited the Bulleen site earlier this week to view construction progress where crews – and a 450-tonne crane – are building structural walls known as ‘diaphragm walls’ to allow excavation of the ramps and the tunnel boring machine retrieval box.
“The North East Link is more than just Victoria’s biggest road project – it’s an investment in communities in Melbourne’s north east, getting trucks off local roads and slashing travel times,” said Minister Allan.
“With so many great opportunities to work on Victoria’s biggest road project, we’re breaking down barriers to employment for people building new lives in Australia.”
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Project crews are also starting works to move Bulleen Road further west to make space to build the new Yarra Link green bridge over Bulleen Road – which will link Koonung Creek Trail to Bulleen Park for the first time. The existing Bulleen Road will stay open until the realigned section is complete in late 2023.
The design of the Manningham Road interchange includes a ramp layout that avoids the historic River Red Gum on Bridge Street and allows Bulleen Art and Garden to stay open.
Across the project, the tunnel boring machine launch area is under construction in Watsonia, two large storage sheds are taking shape on both sides of Greensborough Road, and workers in Yallambie are preparing to build the ramps and tunnels for the new Lower Plenty Road interchange.
Tunnelling of the 6.5-kilometre tunnels from Watsonia to Bulleen will start next year, with the assembly of the 15.6 metres wide, 4,000-tonne tunnel boring machines to begin after their arrival onsite.
The North East Link has so far provided employment opportunities to more than 4,600 workers, including over 300 priority jobseekers, as part of the 10,000 jobs the project is expected to create. On the tunnels alone, more than 900 roles will be dedicated to people experiencing barriers to employment.
Jointly funded by the Australian and Victorian governments, North East Link will be complete in 2028, reducing travel times by up to 35 minutes.